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CHAPTER LXI.

GRANT'S LAST CAMPAIGN, AND CLOSE OF THE WAR.

As soon as the President's appointment of General Grant to the revived rank of Lieutenant-General had received the confirmation of the Senate of the United States, the appointee was ordered to report at the national capital. With true soldierly promptness he obeyed the order, and leaving the head-quarters of his military division "in the field," hastened on to Washington. On the 6th of March, 1864, he visited the Departmental offices at Louisville, Kentucky, to ascertain that every thing was in proper working order before he left the Division; and having satisfied himself on this subject, he started East, taking with him his son, a lad thirteen years of age. He arrived at Cincinnati the next morning, where he paid a flying visit to his father (J. R. Grant, Esq.), then residing at Covington, opposite that city, after which he proceeded to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He left that place on the morning of March 8th, and arrived at Baltimore about noon, where he was met at the dépôt of the Northern Central Railroad by a considerable number of soldiers and citizens. The General was plainly clad, and seemed anxious to avoid show or parade. Many, however, on seeing him, went up to shake hands, and gave vent to their feelings by enthusiastic shouts of welcome. To this greeting he remarked that, “beyond all things he was determined to avoid political demonstrations; his business was with war, while it existed, and his duty was to crush the spirit of treason and save the nation from destruction. When these things were accomplished, as he hoped and believed they surely would be, then it would be time enough for those whose tastes were toward partisanship to indulge themselves."

General Grant left Baltimore by the next train, and arrived in Washington at about five o'clock on the evening of March 8th, 1864. He at once proceeded to Willard's Hotel, where he immediately went to his room. Having divested himself of his travelling attire, he, unattended by either staff or escort, quietly walked into the long dining-room of the hotel, and took his seat for dinner. There were several hundred persons present, and the ranking officer of the whole United States army sat down in their midst in his rusty major-general's uniform, attracting but little notice. His quietude was but short-lived; and he had but half finished his dinner when one of the visitors at the table inquired of a neighbor who the strange major-general was. Looking up, the party questioned recognized the newly arrived officer at a glance, as he had before known him in Galena, and he promptly answered:

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Why, that is Lieutenant-General Grant."

The magic name was quickly whispered about, and a battery of ladies' eyes was speedily opened upon him. The General soon betrayed evidences of embarrassment, when suddenly a member of Congress arose and announced that "the hero of Vicksburg was among them," and proposed his health. Instantly all the guests were on their feet, and the proposal was met with deafening cheers. More embarrassed than before, the General merely bowed and resumed his seat; but it was some time before he could finish his dinner in consequence of the rush of the guests to gain an introduction to him. Late in the evening General Grant visited the White House, where the President was holding a public reception. He entered the reception room unannounced; but was soon recognized and greeted by Mr. Lincoln with great cordiality. The noted visitor then became the principal feature of the reception, and, attended by the Secretaries of War and State, he modestly received the congratulations of the crowded mansion, after which he escorted Mrs. Lincoln round the East

Room, and retired. He afterwards remarked it was warmest campaign during the whole war."

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The City Councils of Washington also tendered him the hospitalities and freedom of the city, together with a cordial welcome. This welcome was embodied in a series of resolutions, handsomely written, and presented to him by the Mayor.

At one o'clock in the afternoon of March 9th, 1864, General Grant was formally presented by President Lincoln with his commission as Lieutenant-General. The ceremony took place in the presence of the Cabinet, the General-in-Chief, the members of General Grant's staff, that officer's son, the President's private secretary, and Representative Lovejoy. When the General entered the room the President rose and said:

GENERAL GRANT: The nation's appreciation of what you have done, and its reliance upon you for what still remains to be accomplished in the existing great struggle, are now presented with this commission, constituting you Lieutenant-General in the army of the United States. With this high honor devolves upon you, also, a corresponding responsibility. As the country herein trusts you, so, under God, it will sustain you. I scarcely need to add, that with what I here speak for the nation, goes my own hearty personal concurrence.

To which General Grant replied as follows:

MR. PRESIDENT: I accept the commission, with gratitude for the high honor conferred. With the aid of the noble armies that have fought on so many fields for our common country, it will be my earnest endeavor not to disappoint your expectations. I feel the full weight of the responsibilities now devolving on me, and I know that if they are met, it will be due to those armies, and, above all, to the favor of that Providence which leads both nations and men.

At the conclusion of these brief speeches, the President introduced the General to all the members of the Cabinet; after which the company were seated, and about half an hour was spent in pleasant social conversation.

General Grant, the next day, visited the Army of the Potomac, in company with General Meade, and on his return to the national capital, immediately made preparations for

his departure. He left Washington with his staff on the evening of March 11th, for the West.

The day after, the following order was promulgated:

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
WASHINGTON, March 12, 1864.

[Genera. Orders, No. 98.]

The President of the United States orders as follows:

First. Major-General Halleck is, at his own request, relieved from duty as General-in-Chief of the army, and Lieutenant-General U. S. Grant is assigned to the command of the armies of the United States. The head-quarters of the army will be in Washington, and also with Lieutenant-General Grant in the field.

Second. Major-General Halleck is assigned to duty in Washington, as Chief of Staff of the army under the direction of the Secretary of War and the Lieutenant-General Commanding. His orders will be obeyed and respected accordingly.

Third. Major-General W. T. Sherman is assigned to the command of the military division of the Mississippi, composed of the Departments of the Ohio, the Cumberland, the Tennessee, and the Arkansas.

Fourth. Major-General J. B. McPherson is assigned to the command of the Department and Army of the Tennessee.

Fifth. In relieving Major-General Halleck from duty as General-inChief, the President desires to express his approbation and thanks for the zealous manner in which the arduous and responsible duties of that position have been performed.

By order of the Secretary of War.

E. D. TOWNSEND, Ass't Adjutant-General.

It is believed that no military order was issued during the war so universally satisfactory as this which appointed Lieutenant-General Grant to the command of the Armies of the United States.

During the preceding January, Grant had made an extensive tour of inspection through the military division of the Mississippi, and the scope of his new duties as Lieutenant-General required that he should thoroughly inform himself concerning the condition of the other Western departments. It was necessary, also, that he should arrange with General Sherman the plans for the

coming spring and summer campaigns. This doneand, as the result showed, well done-he returned to Washington to mature his plans for the Virginia campaign, which he was to conduct in person. The month of April was a busy season to the brave soldiers of the Potomac Army, of which General Grant remarked, "This is a very fine army; and these men, I am told, have fought with great courage and bravery. I think, however, that the Army of the Potomac has never fought its battles through." The world was soon to learn, what this calm, self-poised commander intimated by his remark, that this same army-always nobly striving, yet never attaining was capable, under proper handling, of fighting its battles" through." He came to them with a wellearned reputation for success in whatever he undertook; he commended himself to them by the earnestness which quickly dispersed speculators, hangers-on and "shirks” of all sorts; which made fancy-soldiering "below par" in the camp; and which promised to these brave but sorely baffled heroes work, hard work, plenty of it. The loyal heart of the nation, wearied and desponding by reason of its many sad and costly trials, turned to him. and rested itself upon him with an appealing trustfulness which the grave, reticent soldier deeply felt, and evidently appreciated. The patient, truthful, and loving heart of President Lincoln trusted him entirely-as he wrote him, on the eve of the campaign, "I wish to express, in this way, my entire satisfaction with what you have done up to this time, as I understand it. The particulars of your plans I neither know nor seek to know. You are vigilant and self-reliant; and, pleased with this, I wish not to obtrude any restraints or constraints upon you. * If there be any thing wanting which it is within my power to give, do not fail to let me know it."

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